To Be a Slytherin
by LujayneForge
Summary: This is about a character that I made up, Jessica Lestrange, who is the daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange. She's a Slytherin, but doesn't act like it, and it gets her in trouble a lot. Not much about Harry, but a lot of Sirius, Draco, Remus, Tonks.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay so this is my first FanFiction, so if you have any suggestions feel free to tell me)

Detention. On the first day of school. How does that even happen? _And to me, the person who never gets detention. _Jessica Lestrange knew that this teacher was going to be bad because of the whole she was sent by the ministry sent her to interfere, not to educate thing. But no magic in Defense class? That is just ridiculous. And to give a detention to a student simply because she speaks her mind…_okay so I very loudly spoke my mind, but still! _

Jessica was quiet for the rest of the class period. She read her book and took notes just like all the other Slytherin students around her (although she suspected that most of them were more likely passing notes to each other, they were just really good at hiding it). But just because she read it like a good student, didn't mean that she liked a word that stupid book said. _This has got to be the worst book I've ever read. It's full of crap, not even worth looking at let alone reading. _

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the bell rang for class to end. Jessica had Potions next, but before going, she had a matter to discuss with Ms. Toadface, which was now Umbirdge's official nickname in Jessica's mind.

"Yes Ms. Lestrange," Umbridge said obviously expecting her to complain about the detention she was given. But of coarse Jessica would definitely not be giving her the satisfaction. She was much more mature than that.

"First of all, Professor, I would like to apologize for my outburst in class today." The surprise on her teacher's face was evident, but she hid it quickly. "It was uncalled for and immature and I will keep such opinions to myself in the future." Mostly that meant that she hadn't meant to yell, but reserves her right to call her Toadface in private, but Umbridge didn't have to know that.

"That is very mature of you. Thank You. I accept your apology." Umbridge started to turn away, obviously thinking that Jessica was done. Which is why Jessica saw the need to raise her voice just a little when beginning her next sentence, though not quite to the pint where she sounded angry.

"I understand that discipline is necessary and I will serve as many detentions as you see fit, but I can't do them after school."

"Ah yes, I knew we would be coming to this." Umbridge smiled overly sweetly. "You may sound mature, but inside you're just like all the other teenagers at this school. So let's hear it, what's the excuse to be. Qudditch practice, gobstone club, choir practice. Because whatever it is, I assure you Ms. Lestrange, it will not make a difference."

"But Professor Umbridge-"

"I will not stand for students dictating when their own punishments should be. In fact it's better that you miss something that you really want to do."

"But you don't under-"

"Please Ms. Lestrange I am the teacher here and I will not hear one more argument out of you. The detention is set to when I set it. End of discussion." She started to turn around again, but Jessica wasn't about to give up until she told her side of the story.

"My turn to speak?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well I was just wondering if you were done with your little power trip there so that I could actually tell you why I can't do detention after school and tell you what I am willing to do to make up for it." _Okay so maybe I shouldn't have said that. Oh well can't change that now._

"Ms. Lestrange-"

"I have class." That stopped Umbridge in her tracks.

"What?"

"Class, after school. Everyday I have to go to tutoring at West London High. It's a private high school for wizards and they teach muggle subjects. You know like math, English, and chemistry. I signed up their independent study program this year and so I have to go to see a teacher every day after school for two hours."

"And you go off campus to do this." Obviously Umbridge didn't like where this conversation was going.

"I got special permission from Dumbledore and Snape and my aunt and uncle. They all said that it was all right for me to go off campus for school. And work."

"And work?" Jessica cringed. _I really shouldn't have said that. Not helping my case at all._

"Yeah I work at a diner as a waitress and my shift tonight starts at seven."

"I see. And you said Dumbledore authorized this?"

"Yes. And Snape and my aunt and uncle."

"And you want to get out of detention because of this?"

"No I would be perfectly willing to serve lunch detentions or weekend detentions or detentions on my days off, which happen to be Wednesday and Thursday if those days work for you."

"And you think that this is fair?"

"Yes."

"Well I don't."

"But Professor-"

"No Ms. Lestrange. Detentions are not given for the students convenience, they are for punishment." Jessica could sense that she was not going to win this one and so decided to back down for now instead of missing any more of potions class.

"Fine." She said. And she left without another word. "Then don't expect me to show up tonight." She mumbled into the closed door.

After classes that day, Jessica hurried to her room, changed in to jeans, t-shirt, and sweatshirt, grabbed her muggle books and flooed home. She wasted at least five minutes looking for either her aunt or uncle before finally finding Aunt Narcissa. After a quick greeting and check-in basically to tell her she was leaving, she went back to the nearest fireplace flooed to 12 Grimmauld Place. Jessica didn't know where the address would take her and was only sure of one person that would be there. Professor Snape had pulled her aside before the feat the night before and slipped her a piece of paper, telling her to floo to that address and check in with that man. _Don't be scared of him, he's harmless…mostly. _That's what Snape had told her last night right before telling her not to pass this information or any other information concerning that man or that location on to any one. DO NOT TELL ANYONE was the basic message.

And so she was now following those directions, if only because she trusted Professor Snape not to be leading her anywhere dangerous or life-threatening and that it was truly important that she check in with Sirius Black, who was apparently harmless. _I really hope my trust isn't misplaced. _

The kitchen was empty when she got there. "Hello," she called. A man came down the stairs seconds later. Although ragged looking, he still had the shadow of good looks long lost, probably from years in Azkaban. _And he's sad, _Jessica realized the second saw him. _Very sad. _And she could only take a guess as to why, being an escaped criminal only one of the many possibilities.

"Sirius Black?" Jessica asked, although she already knew the answer.

He nodded. "Jessica Lestrange?"

"That's me," she said, sounding more confident than she was. The silence was deafening, and awkward. "So I guess I'm supposed to check in with you."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"What exactly does that entail?"

"Well I guess it means that you come in and say something along the lines of 'I'm alive'." They both grinned, not so awkward anymore.

" Oh, well in that case…I'm here, I'm alive. Wasn't attacked by Death Eaters or members of my own family. Which is actually pretty much the same thing. But either way, I'm alive."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that when you showed up not dead and in one piece."

Jessica smiled and jokingly said, "Well aren't you the observant one."

"Yes I have been known to observe things on occasion." Now they were both being sarcastic, but at least most of the awkwardness was gone. "For instance, every morning I observe the empty refrigerator and the one box of cereal that probably expired two months ago." He said it sarcastically, but Jessica could tell there was some truth to it.

"What you don't ever go grocery shopping?"

"No the whole, 'I'm a mass murderer' thing kinda puts a damper on things like that."

"Oh yes I can see how that could really cramp your style." At that moment they were both thinking the exact same thing, _I could really start to like the guy/girl. _It was the first time in a long time that either of them had been able to have friendly, sarcastic banter with anyone. No one else understood their sarcastic humor, and it was nice to know that they weren't the only one's.

"Well, I should really get going, don't want to be late for my first day of tutoring."

"No you wouldn't want to miss that." He was being sarcastic, Jessica didn't mind.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah see ya."

"Although you might see me sooner."

"Huh?"

"This place seems like a good place to hide." At Sirius' confused look, Jessica elaborated.

"I'm skipping out on a detention tonight with the new teacher, Professor Umbridge, and I might need a place to hide for a while, while she cools off."

"Normally I would ask for more information to fulfill my curiosity, but you're gonna be late so I will save them for next time, it will give me something to look forward to."

"Yeah well I have tons of questions of my own so don't think you're getting off telling me what this place is and how exactly you're harmless."

"And here I was hoping that Dumbledore or Snape or whoever sent you actually gave you information before making you come here. Won't ever make that mistake again."

"Now when have you ever known that to happen?"

"Well, there's a first time for everything."

"As much as I would like to stay and chat, I have class to be getting to, so I will see you tomorrow."

"Bye."

Over the next week Jessica and Sirius got into a rhythm. Everyday at around 3:15, Jessica would pop in for a quick five minute check-in. Sirius hadn't had any food yet, so snacks were out of the question, but they chatted for a little while about just about nothing at all, and then Jessica left for tutoring. She would come back sometime between 5:30 and 5:45, which is when they would get the real talking done and when Jessica would finish her homework, or at least put a dent in it.

For the first two days, they talked a lot. Jessica learned about the Order of the Phoenix and heard the whole story of Sirius' escape and his innocence. And Sirius learned of Jessica's childhood and how different it was from his. He never thought that a child who grew up loving and being loved by Death Eaters could turn out so not a Death Eater. He learned that Draco Malfoy of all people was like a brother to her, but that her best friend, Katie Vance was half muggle and actually the daughter of an old friend of his from Hogwarts, Emmaline Vance.

That first day after their short meeting, they talked for hours. Jessica almost missed the beginning of her shift, they talked for so long. And they were fast becoming good friends. How could they not? They had the same sarcastic sense of humor, the same hate for everything their family stood for (they are related so technically it is one family), and they have the same taste in music and movies (at least they do now that Jessica made Sirius watch a couple movies with her and listen to some of her favorite bands).

"I've been caught." Was the first thing that Jessica said when she entered the kitchen Friday afternoon. "Umbridge finally tracked me down."

"It shouldn't have been too hard, after all you do live in the same school. Not that I actually know what you're talking about."

"Remember on Monday I mentioned that I had skipped out on a detention?" Jessica started her story as they sat down at the kitchen table.

"Uh-huh."

"Well I've been avoiding her all week-"

"How do you avoid a teacher you see in class practically every day."

"I was getting to that, if you would just be patient and let me finish my story you would know.'

"Right sorry. So you've been avoiding Umbridge, go on."

"Right so I've been avoiding her, escaping class right when the bell rings, not going past her office at all during the day, and basically just keeping a low profile."

"Right no exploding the toilettes or anything."

Jessica gave him a look that clearly said 'shut up and let me finish'. "So anyway, today she actually pulled me out of defense class and told me that she would see to it that I get suspended if I don't show up to detention tonight."

"So I take it your plan is…"

"To bring it up with Professor Snape and of coarse not show up to detention tonight."

"Right because that would be the smart thing to do." Clearly Sirius wasn't getting it.

"I already talked to Snape today and he said that she can't pull me out of an academic activity for a detention, but she can pull me away from work, which honestly I can really just get someone to cover a shift for me, it was the tutoring that was set in stone. But she wouldn't hear of it when I talked to her. She has a death grip on that detention time and won't move it back even a half an hour so that I can actually go."

"Oh so you actually want to go to this detention." He was joking but Jessica answered anyway.

"No, I just want to get it over with. It's been like this cloud hanging over my head for almost a week now and I just want to finish it."

"Not unreasonable."

"Yeah. Anyway I should go. I'll be back after class and we can list the many different ways to separate the Toad's head from her body."

"Sounds like fun I'll see you then." And she flooed to school like always.

_She kinda reminds me of me when I was her age. Sarcastic, fun-loving, and unfortunately the problems with the family are mostly the same. _Sirius was definitely growing to like this girl. At first he hadn't been so sure. The last name didn't strike him as the muggle-loving type, but she was getting off campus to take muggle courses so he thought he'd give her a chance.

And he was glad he did. He's beginning to look forward to seeing her, god only knows it gets lonely with just Kreacher to talk to. And her sometimes bubbly, always sarcastic attitude and sense of humor is a nice change to the house guests he had over the summer. Not that he doesn't love having his godson and his friends over. It's just that sometimes they act too grown up, too serious, Tonks doesn't act that serious and she's an auror. Harry may look like James, even have glimmers of the James attitude, but somehow Jessica has more than glimmers. She sees the good in every one and in every situation. She can make a joke out of anything and always manages to lift his spirits. Depression doesn't seem like a possible emotion for her. All this he already knows about her and he's only known her a week.

And he could definitely see not only James, but himself and Remus in Jessica. Maybe it was because he was looking for his best friends everywhere, especially when they aren't around, but he really can see himself and Remus. Remus because of the way she studies hard and takes her school work seriously. Until this year she had never gotten a detention. And she is so smart, without even working on it. Which makes her ten times as smart because she really does work hard. Doing every homework assignment, studying for every test, and still going to work, tutoring, and finding time to keep an old man like him company.

And she reminded him of himself when he was that age. Young, carefree, every door open for her, and yet a lot of times, all she wants to do is hang out with her friends and waste time (and then her Remus side kicks in). And of course she inherited the Black family genes. Curly black hair, seemingly flawless skin, bright blue eyes, slight of stature but a much bigger personality (common among the Black women, small on the outside, big on the inside).

However, unfortunately, she is not like most of the Blacks in one way, something she and Sirius have in common. She definitely doesn't agree with her families ideas about Voldemort and this pureblood mania. She grew up differently than he did, getting into Slytherin instead of Gryffindor being the main point, but Sirius knows from experience that Jessica has some tough years ahead and he knows that they won't be pretty.

_Damn, I left my potions book at home. I guess I have to stop by there before going back to Sirius'. _Jessica had been avoiding her house for the last few days, the stench of disappointment was not pleasant and so she stayed away. Her aunt and uncle didn't speak to her much anymore, and she was almost fine with that. She sometimes missed talking to them, but lately all conversations ended in an argument and she could tell they were getting frustrated with her. At least her relationship with Draco was still mostly in tact, but even that was beginning to develop ragged edges.

She looked every where for her book, and still, after fifteen minutes of searching, she could not find it. She was about to give up and just borrow Draco's when she got back to school, but her uncle found her and he didn't look happy.

"Oh. That's not a happy face." _When in doubt state the obvious. _

"That's because I am not happy Jessica."

"Just in general or something specific." He looked angrier. Jessica decided to forgo any more attempts to lighten the mood.

He pulled what looked to be a letter out of the pocket of his robes. "I received this by owl today, do you know who it's from?"

"I'm gonna guess it's not Santa Clause." Okay so she couldn't help that one but she's really pushing the limit now. Lucius' glare used to scare her, but recently it's lost it's charm, probably because of the multiple times it's been directed at her in the last couple of months.

"No it did not come from Santa Clause. It's from Hogwarts."

He opened the letter to reference. "A Professor Umbridge writes to tell me and your aunt that you have received a detention and have knowingly and purposely not attended said detention. It states that Professor Snape has informed her that she can't legally make you skip your tutoring for a detention, but she thought we might want to know what is going on in your academic life at Hogwarts."

"Oh so I'm not going to be suspended, that's a relief." _Oops, I should not have said that. Uh-oh there goes the vein in the forehead, he's really mad now. _

"SUSPENDED. YOU WERE GOING TO BE SUSPENDED!"

"She told me if I didn't show up today that I was going to be suspended, but I went to Professor Snape and he said she couldn't so I didn't worry about it."

"I knew it. I knew that this letting you off campus thing was going to bite me in the ass. I shouldn't have let you and Professor Snape and Dumbledore of all people talk me and your aunt into letting you do it."

"What?! No! This has nothing to do with that." But it do no good as her uncle was too angry to even respond to her.

"This should not have happened."

"I know I'm sorry."

"I should not be getting letters from teachers about you skiving off detentions, hell you shouldn't be getting detentions."

"Did I mention I was sorry?"

"Sorry won't cut it. I knew I shouldn't have let you start studying that muggle stuff it's obviously done something to your head."

"What thought process could have possibly brought you to that conclusion?"

"Well nothing else has changed this year so it's got to be the new classes."

"Or maybe it could be because that new teacher doesn't know what the hell she's doing and is not even teaching us she's just making us read this stupid book! No magic in defense class! How could I not say something?"

"Oh no, don't you go blaming the teacher for your detention and your decision not to go to the detention. Take responsibility for your actions, isn't that what I've always told you? You've also never had a problem remembering that little lesson before either. You can see now how I can draw my conclusion to these new classes you're taking?!"

"No because I was studying those muggle subjects for years before now!"

"You what?!"

"It doesn't matter now." She probably shouldn't have mentioned anything, and this fight could be over by now, but Jessica didn't care anymore whether their fights ended or not.

"Oh yes it does. You've been going against all this family stands for, for years now and I didn't even know."

"It's no different now that you know so why should it matter."

"What's happened to you?"

"What are you taking about?"

"You used to agree with everything I said. You were convinced that what I said was the truth and wouldn't hear anything else. You were proud of this family. Or were you just pretending then too?"

"I was a little girl uncle, I grew up."

"Draco was little then too, he didn't change." _In other words, 'Draco's the perfect child and we want you to be exactly like him and all his other pre-Death Eater friends._ It was particularly upsetting for Jessica to hear that. They might have gotten into fights before, but Lucius had never until now stooped so low as to suggest that Draco was better than her, or to even compare them.

"I have to go Uncle." And without another word, she left her very sad and very disappointed uncle standing in the hallway. Her uncle may think that she doesn't care about this family anymore or that she doesn't care about his opinions anymore, but the truth is she does, it's just that they don't really agree with what she thinks, and sometimes the only way she can let that be known is by making it seem like she doesn't care anymore.

But she does care. To much sometimes. She cares so much about the direction her family is going that it hurts sometimes to think about it too much. But it's fights like this that seem to leave her with nothing else but her family to think about.

Jessica arrived at Headquarters late that night, and through the front door, her arms filled with grocery bags. She had gone on a grocery shopping trip more to clear her head and to have the ability to have a smile on her face before heading over to see Sirius than anything else, she didn't want to burden him with her problems. After being careful not to make too much noise in the hallway, she started to put the groceries away in the kitchen.

"Sirius I'm back!" she called up the stairs, now out of the 'red zone' as she and Sirius liked to call the area where there is a potential for his mother's portrait to wake up.

"Hey Jessica," he said, coming down the stairs. "I was going to ask why you were so late, but now it's obvious. What's all this for?"

"For you of course."

"You went out and bought groceries for me?"

"Yeah well I got tired of you not having any food when I came over, so I bought you some. And me I guess."

"Oh so this was a completely selfish act."

"Basically."

"Okay so what'd ya get me?" He said as he started to pull things out of the bags on the table.

"Well you got your basic breakfast foods. Pop Tarts in various flavors, frozen waffles, Fruit Loops, and Cocoa Puffs. And then you got your snack foods. Granola bars, Oreo cookies, chocalate chip cookies, some other kinds of cookies I've already forgotten their names, mint chocolate chip ice cream, and I think there are some twinkies in there somewhere."

"I assume you got some food that can be made into a meal that's not breakfast right?"

"Oh no I thought you only ate breakfast." She laughed at the incredulous look her gave her. "I'm just kidding. Of course I got you other food. Let's see we've got frozen pizza, some chicken pieces, and of course tater tots. Oh yeah and I got some bottled water and coffee and milk."

"Just the way I like my groceries. Not a fruit or vegetable to be seen."

"Of course what kind of person do you think I am?" They finished unpacking the food and started to fold up the bags. Jessica took out the Oreos and poured two glasses of milk and they sat down for a snack. Jessica didn't really feel like talking, so that sat in silence for a while, leaving Jessica to think.

"So how was tutoring." It took a little while for Jessica to answer, lost in her thoughts as she was.

"Huh, oh it was fine, same as always."

"You work tonight?"

"Yeah, at seven."

"Have much homework?"

"Tons."

"You gonna tell me what's wrong or do I have to go all the way to twenty."

Jessica looked down at her plate of cookies.

"It's nothing, I don't really want to talk about it."

"Well I can tell it's not nothing just by the look on your face right now. But of course if you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to talk about it."

"Good, 'cause I really don't want to talk about it."

"That's cool, we can not talk about whatever's bothering you, I can do that." A moment's silence. "Okay no I can't. You know you can tell me, I might even be able to help. Please Jessica?"

"It's stupid. I just- I had to go back to my house before coming here because I forgot my potions book, and after like fifteen minutes I was about to give up, but then my uncle found me and he got a letter from Umbridge and he yelled and I yelled, and it got kind of ugly. And it finally ended with something along the lines of 'why can't you be more like Draco' and so I left."

"He actually said 'why can't you be more like Draco'?"

"Well no. But he implied it."

"Well see, maybe you're reading too much into this."

"I really don't think that that's the case Sirius."

Sirius sighed.

"I'm not going to pretend like this is going to get better. I would be lying to you if I said 'all will be forgiven' or 'it was just one fight, you'll forget about it and move on'. With things like these, it's never just one fight and it's never completely forgiven." When he saw that Jessica was looking even more downcast he added, "But if it would make you feel better I could lie to you."

Jessica chuckled a little.

"No that's okay I see what you're saying, I just don't like it much."

"I know you don't. No one ever likes to disappoint their family. Even I had my moments when I regretted the decisions that I made. But it's one of those choices that you have to make, whether to stay true to yourself or to pretend like you're someone you're not for the sake of your family. It's never easy."

"I know, I just wish…"

"I know. Believe me I know. But you'll get through this. Look at me I turned out just fine. Except for that whole 'I'm a mass murderer' thing."

"Well yeah except for that you turned out great." A smile genuinely back on her face, Jessica was back to her old self again, even better than before because now she knew that when things with her family got too hard, she had an adult, and a friend, to go to for comfort and advice. And that was a really good feeling.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. I forgot to put that in the last chapter. Here's chapter #2 read, enjoy, and review.**

Jessica woke up on the Monday of her second week of school to Pansy Parkinson throwing pillows at her, telling her that she was going to be late for breakfast of she didn't get up soon. Jessica groaned and groggily opened her eyes to look at her clock. It said a quarter to seven.

"Pansy, I know that you and the other crazies that I share this room with can't understand why I don't feel the need to get up at the crack of dawn to get ready for class, but would you please at least try to humor me?"

"I try I really do." Jessica just grunted in response. Truth be told she should have been up fifteen minutes ago and Pansy was just looking after her (most likely per Draco's request) but that didn't change the fact that Jessica was dead tired and not a morning person at all. Though the thought of missing breakfast (and especially coffee) was motivation enough for Jessica to get out of bed

The hot water of the shower felt good after a long weekend of homework, studying, work, and more homework. The teachers were really piling it on this year, and with Jessica's extra classes and work to go to, she was still swamped with work by the time Saturday rolled around. She spent a good part of the weekend in sweats and one of Draco's old sweatshirts, in the library, with piles of books, parchment, and muggle notebook paper surrounding her. So it was no surprise that Jessica did not look very rested after getting almost no sleep at all for more than a week.

In her opinion, the shower didn't last long enough. But Jessica had coffee waiting for her in the great hall, so she kept it under fifteen minutes. She then hurriedly threw on her uniform, grabbed her makeup case and hairbrush and went back to the bathroom where her other roommates were putting the finishing touches on their hair and makeup before going down to breakfast.

Her roommates looked up briefly as Jessica walked over to the free mirror space. They exchanged quick hellos and then went back to what they were doing as Jessica began drying and smoothing out her curly hair. Far from being offended by their apparent coldness toward her, Jessica actually welcomed it. Her dorm had long ago established a philosophy for living with three other teenaged girls that they all lived by: don't get in each other's way and minimal drama will happen. And for the most part it worked. Of course you make four teenaged girls live together and you will get some drama, but they managed to avoid any major blow-outs, unlike many other girls dorms in their house.

And it's not like Jessica didn't have any friends at school. Draco, Blaise, Pansy, and Jessica had formed a good group of friends and while Jessica doesn't always agree with them, they at least give her someone to talk to during the day. Of course Draco's not included in this seeing as they're family. But other than these three (and Draco's "bodyguards" of course), Jessica and the rest of her house simply stayed out of each other's way.

And Jessica liked it that way, it gave her the bathroom to herself for the most part of her morning. The other girls leave soon after she comes in to the bathroom every morning, not usually waiting for her to be done. That gave Jessica more than twenty minutes every morning to herself, not to mention the fact that she didn't have to fight for mirror space or one of the only two showers in the place.

Jessica finished de-frizzing and drying her hair and went back to her trunk. She pulled out the CD player that she had modified to work at Hogwarts, and tapped it with her wand. Immediately the CD that was inside began to play and the sounds of Jason Mraz filled her dorm room while she continued to get ready for school.

She opened her makeup case and was greeted by the familiar picture of her and her best friend Katie Vance that had been taken over a previous summer. Katie and Jessica had lived down the street from each other for as long as either of them could remember and they had been best friends since they were five (much to the displeasure of the Malfoy's). Katie was three quarters muggle, and that bugged the Malfoy's to no end. They tried to get Jessica to stop seeing Katie and her mother (the half-blood Emmaline) but even at the early age of five, Jessica refused.

Katie was the reason that she was taking those extra classes this year, they were offered at the school Katie went to. Katie didn't go to Hogwarts because even at eleven years old, Katie and her mother were best friends. Her father, Chris, had run out on them before he and her mother were even married, Katie and Chris still talked, but Emmaline only did when it was necessary. So it was no surprise when they decided that boarding school would be too much separation for them. And it was a sort of tribute to a muggle father who Katie loved with all her heart to go to a school that taught muggle courses. They were both completely insane in everyone's opinion, but they were still good people to have around.

Jessica finished applying her essentials (eyeliner, mascara, eye shadow, lipstick/chap stick), stuck a glitter hairclip in her hair and a necklace with a heart-shaped pendant for decoration, shut off her music gathered her books into her heavily personalized blue backpack and made it to the great hall in time for two cups of coffee (she would die without at least one in the morning) and a muffin before heading off to the worst first class of the day-Professor Umbridge's Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

Umbridge was looking particularly smug this morning, especially toward Jessica. Not only was she just made High Inquisitor (whatever that meant) but she was getting a weeks worth of detention out of her this week. Snape had managed to talk Umbridge down from suspension to a week of detention, but if Jessica had not just had a major fight with her uncle, she would have fought even that much. A weeks worth of detention was a weeks work at the diner she could be doing, money she could be making. But relations with her family were strained enough without her getting suspended, so she kept her mouth shut.

Defense class was boring. Really boring. Two minutes into class, while she was supposed to be reading and taking notes, she was already daydreaming. _I hope I don't get fired for missing a week of work with practically no warning. Na, Dave would never fire me, I'm his favorite. That and it's not a very big diner and I am one of three waiters. I wonder how long I will have to talk to Sirius this week. Probably not long, maybe I just won't check in with Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa…No they're sure to notice and then there will be another fight I don't think I can handle another fight not so soon after the last one…_And this line of thinking brought her right through class, never once taking in anything that was written in the textbook.

"Jessica, the bell rang." An amused Blaise jolted her out of her thoughts which had become increasingly random as the period went on.

"Oh, sorry, I guess class was so boring that I didn't even hear the bell ring." Jessica said as she gathered her stuff.

"Hey, don't have to explain that one to me." They both grinned before running to catch up to the others.

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Classes came and went. Tutoring came and went. Dinner came and went. Unfortunately for Jessica, five-thirty was here and it wasn't going anywhere.

"Isn't it time for you to go, Jay?" _Damn you Draco for being such a responsible time-keeper._

Jessica sighed heavily. "Yeah I know." She continued to sit there, staring at her now empty plate.

"It's not going to make it any better if you continue to sit here."

"Well maybe if we all concentrate really hard, old Toad face will forget all bout the detention."

"Nothing will make her forget about the detention, why don't you just go and get it over with."

"Thanks for chiming in Blaise." But she got up anyway and very slowly made her way to Umbridge's office.

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Harry Potter looked up as the door to Umbridge's office opened and another student walked in. She was a pretty girl, Harry couldn't help but think. Striking blue eyes, flawlessly white skin, silky black curly flowed down passed her slim shoulders. She was on the shorter side, probably only making it up to Harry's chin if he were to stand up, but she the way she carried herself clearly said that this was not a girl to mess with. Harry vaguely recalled see her in some of his other classes, but he couldn't place her name or what house she was in. And her clothes didn't tell him much either as she wasn't in school robes, just a pair of dark jeans and a gray sweatshirt that had the letters "UCD" in blue.

"So sorry I'm late Professor Umbidge, I got held up." She said simply, although in an overly-sweet almost sarcastic tone. But if Umbridge noticed her tone, she didn't show it. She simply responded in her own sickly-sweet voice.

"Quite alright." She smiled. "I am having you do lines with Mr. Potter tonight." Harry could have sworn he heard the girl mumble "goody" very sarcastically under her breath. She sat down next to Harry and started to pull out a quill, but Harry knew what was coming next.

"Oh no, not with your quill, you're going to be using a rather special quill of mine." Harry wondered if she had memorized this particular speech and recited it to all the students she gave detention to. It wasn't unlikely. Jessica retrieved her "special" quill from Umbridge and sat back down. "You will be writing '_Be Respectful' _until I tell you to stop."

"Yes ma'am." Harry caught a hint of annoyance in her voice, but she hid it very well. Harry went back to his task of self-mutilation knowing that the student next to him was in for a nasty surprise any second now.

"Ow, what the fuck!" The girl said rather loudly, she seemed more angry than hurt.

"Is something the matter Jessica?" So her name was Jessica.

"Besides the fact that your fucking quill just cut into my hand, nothing, nothing at all." Nope she was definitely not a person anyone would want to cross.

"Then I ask that you watch your language or it will be another week's detention." Jessica was silenced immediately. They both went back to what they were doing, trying desperately not cry out in pain.

It was nearly ten o'clock before Jessica spoke up again. "Um, Professor?"

"Yes."

"I was just wondering when you were planning to let us out." She seemed to have calmed down in the last few hours, Harry didn't think that would last long, not with Umbridge in the room.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well it's just that I have a lot of homework to finish by tomorrow that I haven't even started yet and I am sure you wouldn't want our grades to fall behind because of a detention that you gave us."

"It's called a punishment, Jessica."

"I know but a punishment shouldn't go so far as to make my grades drop, because that would mean that it would be getting in the way of our education which would mean that I could take it up to all my professors tomorrow and tell them that I couldn't do any of my homework for their classes because Professor Umbridge held me in detention for an unreasonable amount of time and then you would have a lot of angry professors on your hands." Harry was surprised to say the least. This girl had guts.

"Unreasonable amount of time?"

"We've been here almost four and a half hours." Jessica's patience was wearing thin.

"And you think that that is unreasonable."

"Yes, especially since I've got at least four more hours of homework to do, if not more, and I'm sure Mr. Potter over here has the same. As an educator you should be more concerned with your students education than with punishing your students for every little wrong-doing they do." Umbridge was angry, Harry could tell, but Jessica didn't seem to be phased one bit, in fact it seemed to make her gather strength.

"And how exactly would a student know what the job of an educator was?"

"I've been going to school since I was five Professor I think I've picked up a few things in the last ten years." Jessica respectful facade had dropped completely.

"Oh do you?" Umbridge's sweet façade had dropped also. "And in your experience, my detention is unfair?"

"The length of the detention is unfair, I never said that the detention itself was unfair. I already told you that I shouldn't have skipped out on the first one, I apologized and agreed to serve a week instead of just one to compensate, but I would have put up more of a fight if I had known that they were going to be more than four hours long!"

Umbridge suddenly rounded on Harry, "Mr. Potter you are dismissed!" Harry didn't need to be told twice.

But Umbridge wasn't done with Jessica and the second Potter was out the door, the argument was back on.

"If it were up to me you would be suspended by now."

"What cause would you have to suspend me?"

"I don't need a cause."

"I know the rules Professor, and a student skipping out on a detention, with good reason I might add, is not cause for suspension."

"I'll have you know that as the newly instated High Inquisitor of this school, I have the authority to give punishments as I see fit, including suspensions."

"That doesn't mean that you can suspend a student without talking to their head of house first, and I assure you that Professor Snape will not stand for his students being mistreated by a ministry official who thinks that she can do whatever she wants."

"I can do whatever I want, all I have to do is make one call to the minister and it is done. And just so you know for this little temper tantrum," here Jessica became highly offended and even more angry, "I will be writing a letter to your aunt and uncle, I feel that they should be informed on how well you are doing, don't you." Somehow, Umbridge knew that contacting anyone in her family about her outburst was the worst punishment anyone could do. It only made Jessica angrier.

"Fine." And Jessica picked up her bag and made for the door.

"I did not give permission for you to leave young lady."

"Just another thing you can put in your letter then." The door slammed so hard a few of the ceramic plates hanging on the wall of her office fell to the ground and shattered.

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Jessica fumed all the way to her dormitory, where she slammed the door, startling the two girls who were already asleep. Pansy was working on her homework on her bed.

"How was detention?" Knowing the answer wasn't going to be good, she had to ask anyway. Jessica gave only a frustrated growl from the bathroom where she was changing into her PJ's.

"That good huh?"

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you Parkinson." Jessica said as she exited the bathroom and flopped down onto her bed, which was next to Pansy's.

"Do you want to talk about it."

"No."

"Should I get Draco so that you can talk about it."

"No." Jessica responded a little louder than necessary. That's when Pansy decided that now was not a good time to try to talk to Jessica.

"Turn the light off when your done." Jessica said nothing in response, just took out her books and proceeded to do her homework, glad that the subject was dropped.

Jessica finally fell asleep at three o'clock in the morning, having completed all of her homework. It was only Monday and already her week was worse than the last. She found herself wanting to talk to Sirius desperately. She knew that this was not something she could talk to Draco about, he never understood how she could talk back to adults the way she did, nor could he understand why it was such a big deal that there was a letter going out to his parents about how she was acting up again. She needed adult advice from someone who would understand her situation better than anyone. She needed Sirius.

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Tuesday's last class of the day was Muggle studies. It was an easy 'O' and a breeze for Jessica, she just took it to annoy her aunt and uncle, so she decided to skip it and go to Grimmauld Place.

Sirius had warned her that the ministry might be monitoring the floo network into and out of Hogwarts, so she flooed to Katie's place first. No one was home of course, but she used their fireplace as a cushion between school and Sirius, planning to come back when they were home. It was only a little after two o'clock when Jessica dropped into the kitchen at 12 Grimmauld Place, and Sirius was no where to be found. But there was another man sitting at the table, much to Jessica's surprise. And she recognized him.

"Remus Lupin what are you doing here?" Of course Jessica knew Remus because he had been a professor in her third year, but what many didn't know is that she actually knew him from long before that. Emmaline Vance had gone to school with Remus and they still kept in touch over the years, so Jessica and Katie had many encounter with him from the time they were very young, including a disastrous babysitting incident, but that's another story.

"Jessica Lestrange? Is that you?"

Jessica laughed. "Of course it's me, you aren't that blind are you?"

"Yep that's you alright." He made his way around the table and engulfed her in a bear hug. "What are you doing here? How do you know of this place?"

"I take extra classes at Katie's school and Snape insisted that I check in with the Order, I just needed to talk to Sirius before I left."

Remus narrowed his eyes. "Shouldn't you be in school right about now?"

"I had a free period?" Jessica tried to look innocent, but it didn't work very well.

"I don't even want to know," Remus rolled his eyes. "Sirius is upstairs in the sitting room. What exactly is so important that you need to skip classes to talk to him?"

Jessica shied away from Remus' scrutinizing gaze. "I just needed to talk to him about something. Besides I'm only missing muggle studies." Remus still looked suspicious, but he moved aside to let her through.

Jessica found Sirius in the sitting room, reading a book. "What's this, Sirius Black actually reading a book? I didn't think it was possible."

"Jessica what are you doing here, shouldn't you be in school?" Jessica went over to sit next to him on the couch, slipping off her shoes and curly her feet underneath her.

"Not you too."

"Ah, you met the professor downstairs didn't you?"

"Yes and I don't need the questions again. I just needed a sympathetic ear."

"One that you couldn't get at school." Sirius nodded knowingly.

"Detention didn't go well."

"Detentions rarely do, I think teachers get pleasure out of it." Remus was just walking in the room at that.

"Hey I resent that." He sat down next to Jessica, who scooted to make room.

"No you resemble that." Feeling an immature argument coming from the grown men she sat between, Jessica decided to intervene.

"Guys please, I came here to talk, not to listen to you two argue like five year-olds." At least they had the decency to look ashamed.

"We're sorry Jessica it won't happen again." Sirius motioned for her to continue.

"That toad of a women kept me in detention until almost ten o'clock, and even then she wasn't going to let us out, so I had to say something."

"Oh no, Jessie-Bear you didn't." Remus exclaimed (the nick name was something he called her since she was eight and wouldn't put down her teddy bear for anything).

"Who's we?" Sirius obviously didn't have the same priorities as Remus.

"Oh Harry Potter had detention with me last night." She was then bombarded with multiple questions from both of them. So many that she wasn't even sure who they were coming from. "Guys please!"

When they had quieted down she continued. "We are forgetting why I'm here. I don't know why Potter had detention, and I don't really care."

Sirius responded. "Right, sorry Jessica. So you were there until almost ten, you had to say something, go on."

"Right so, you know me I can't not say anything, so I spoke up, very politely I might add, and I asked when she was going to let us out. Instead of just answering my question she asked why, I told it was because we both had a lot of homework to do and that it would not be good if we fell behind because she had kept us in detention."

Both Sirius and Remus were now looking at her very incredulously. "Okay so I might have implied that she wasn't a good teacher." They both rolled their eyes, they weren't surprised.

"Anyway…old Toad face took offence for some reason, told Potter to leave, and then turned on me. She said that if it had been up to here I would be suspended already and I told her that she didn't have a reason and that she was just a ministry official who thought that she could do what ever she wants to do," Jessica continued to talk over Remus and Sirius' exasperated noises, "and at that point she got really angry and told me that she was going to write the Malfoy's, at which point I left, without her permission first of course."

Now that she was done telling her story, Remus and Sirius went into full reprimand mode. She was bombarded with 'why would you do something so stupid?' and 'why do you always have to say something' and 'next time just keep your mouth shut' and finally it ended with Sirius' 'what do you have noodles for brains her something.' Everything was silent at that point before all three of them started to laugh uncontrollably.

Through her laughter Jessica managed to say, "Yes Sirius that is exactly why I did what I did, I have noodles for brains."

This just made Sirius laugh more. "I'm gonna call you Noodle-Brain from now on."

When their laughter finally died down, and they were all wiping tears from their eyes Sirius said, "So Noodle, what are you going to do now?"

Jessica ignored the use of the new nickname and answered the question. "I don't know Sirius, I didn't think there was much I could do."

"Yeah I guess there isn't."

"Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa are not going to like this." The silence in the room was deafening. Jessica leaned back into the couch holding on to her curled up knees. _There's nothing I can do. _Those words bounced off the walls of her mind like it was a cave into which someone had shouted them. _There's nothing I can do._ Prepare herself for another fight perhaps, but prevent the fight, no. _There's nothing I can do. _Jessica hated being helpless, and this was one of those situations where she was completely and utterly helpless. She had to go back home, she had to get changed, she had to check in before going to tutoring, and then before going to work. She had to talk to them. And talking would lead to yelling, that she knew for sure. And there was nothing she could do about it.

"There's nothing I can do," Jessica whispered more to herself then anyone else. But Remus and Sirius heard and they both put comforting hand on her shoulders, but there was nothing they could do either, they all knew it.


End file.
